I’m a little sweaty right now.  Not because I’ve been exercising or getting physical or even sitting in the sun for extended periods of time.  No, I’m damp with excitement because The Builders and The Butchers are releasing a new album in, well, nearly two months.  And jesus shitcakes if I’m perspiring this much two months in advance, it’s going to be a soggy summer.

“Devil Town” off of Salvation Is A Deep, Dark Well sounds, you know, a lot like the amazingness that was The Builders and The Butchers first LP.  It’s a dark, sordid ride through Americana-backed rock and roll, with periodic stops at on-the-fringe carnival sideshows and nightly forays on the cracked desert earth of nowhere.

Somebody get me a napkin.

The Builders and The Butchers - Devil Town

The Builders and The Butchers on Myspace

I’ll always associate Starfucker with good memories, as when I was first introduced to this trio of electronic wizards, it was just prior to being introduced to one of my favorite bands, The Builders and The Butchers.  Sadly, all I recall about old Starfucker (a name I absolutely love) is that there was a lot of badly applied lipstick, short dresses, and ratty blonde wigs.  Their album though is absolute electronic bliss.  It’s light-weight, poppy, and just runs the border of being too hip for this age-old square.  The way “Myke Ptyson” segues from what seems like excited audience hand-clapping to a flattened keyboard wail is brilliant and I just can’t get enough of how the tinny hand clap actually becomes a part of a the beat.

Great song, great album.

Starfucker - Mike Ptyson

In terms of my Capitol Hill Block Party recommendations from last week, none was higher than my push for our loyal readers to head towards The Builders and the Butchers’ Saturday afternoon set.  Though, for reasons I’m still trying to piece together I missed the recommended set, I caught The Builders’ impressive live show earlier this year down in Portland, and absolutely couldn’t believe my eyes or ears.  Now, many months and many, many spins of their debut LP later, they’ve quickly elevated to the small group of bands I tenatively deem “favorites”.

Ryan Sollee, lead singer and guitarist for the motley, sometimes-fivesome was nice enough to give some solid answers to a few of my more burning questions on the more literary aspects of the Portland music scene, where the darkness in his music comes from, and oh so much more.

Enjoy.

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Ryan Sollee :: Photo by kirstiecat

SOUND ON THE SOUND: First of all, where exactly does the name The Builders and The Butchers come from?

Ryan Sollee: It took us about 6 months to come up with the name, originally the band was called The Funeral Band, but we knew we needed another name. I think it’s this way with most bands, it’s the only name nobody hated.

SOTS: How did The Builders and The Butchers come together originally?

RS: My friend Adrienne (Autopilot is for Lovers) and I wanted to start writing darkly themed songs to be played acoustic for people at large gatherings. I think the original idea for the band and what it has become is very different, we had a handfull of songs written and started played one night at the house where the rest of the guys live. From there we practiced for about a month and played our first shows at Halloween house parties and outside a Bob Log III show.

SOTS: How did you decided upon your onstage set-up? I saw you guys at The Willamette Week Best New Band Showcase and was blown away by the usage of two auxiliary percussionists?

RS: Since our first shows we’ve had the two drummers, it wasn’t ever talked about, one day Paul just put the bass drum on its side and there it was. We bought an old field snare for Ray at a thrift store. Other percussion has slowly been added to try to mix things up. I like the idea of two people essentially playing one drum kit.

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FRIDAY

The Dodos::Photo by Explosion 5000

This is the weaker of the two days for me personally.  A nice heavy focus on local acts, but aside from that there’s nothing I’m dying to see.  Heavily recommend you checking out Menomena and if everything I’ve heard is correct Abe Vigoda will rock your socks off … very drunkenly.  I’m recommending Vampire Weekend, as that’s where I’m going to be, but supposedly Koenig and crew put on a lackluster display, if so, I’m heading on over to Jay Reatard in hopes he’ll freak out and punch a fan.

11:00 am - Heavy drinking in your backyard/office bathroom

4:00 pm - Black Eyes and Neck Ties (Neumos Stage)

5:15 pm - Abe Vigoda (Vera Stage)

6:30 pm - Menomena (Main Stage)

7:45 pm - Girl Talk (Main Stage) v. Pwrfl Pwr (Vera Stage)

9:00 pm - The Dodos (Neumos)

9:45 pm - Pleasureboaters (King Cobra)

10:45 pm - Vampire Weekend (Main Stage)

SATURDAY

The Hold Steady::Photo by jjbuchan

Any day of any concert that features The Builders and The Butchers, The Fleet Foxes and The Hold Steady (with a side helping of Chromeo) is one you should be paying to attend.  In the I’ve been known to willfully skip (i.e. sleep through) pretty much the entire second day of the concert.  This year though, I’m hitting both, just because I can.

2:00 pm - Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground (Main Stage)

3:00 pm - The Hands (Neumos Stage) v. The Cave Singers (Main Stage)

4:00 pm - Drinking, heavy heavy drinking (anywhere you can get it)

5:15 pm - The Builders and The Butchers (Neumos)

6:00 pm - Fleet Foxes (Main Stage)

7:45 pm - Throw Me The Statue (Neumos)

9:00 pm - Hold Steady (Main Stage) v. Grand Ole Party (Vera Stage)

10:00 pm - JUST ANNOUNCED THE SATURDAY KNIGHTS (NEUMOS)